McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Shares Bought by Sciencast Management LP

Sciencast Management LP boosted its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 287.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,654 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 10,874 shares during the quarter. Sciencast Management LP’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $3,961,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 72,351,127 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $22,112,675,000 after purchasing an additional 703,458 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its stake in McDonald’s by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 35,983,997 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $10,997,789,000 after buying an additional 959,140 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in McDonald’s by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 17,038,519 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $5,195,965,000 after buying an additional 76,090 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in McDonald’s by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 9,474,749 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $2,895,768,000 after buying an additional 277,617 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth $2,890,438,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.1%

MCD stock opened at $272.61 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $273.81 and a 200-day moving average of $295.28. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12-month low of $260.96 and a 12-month high of $341.75. The company has a market cap of $192.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.15, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.41.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 572.06% and a net margin of 31.72%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.19 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is presently 60.44%.

McDonald’s News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting McDonald’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is emphasizing lower-priced meals to win back cost-conscious customers, a potentially supportive strategy as consumers increasingly prioritize value. McDonald’s is betting on cheaper meals to win back customers
• Positive Sentiment: New growth initiatives include Red Bull energy drinks, additional beverages and limited-time menu items. These products could increase traffic and average spending while supporting a simpler restaurant operating model. McDonald’s bringing Red Bull drinks and new sodas to US customers
• Positive Sentiment: The Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meal promotion may generate customer interest and family traffic when it launches, although its financial impact is likely limited. McDonald’s Announces Eight Hello Kitty x Godzilla Toys
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent earnings showed adjusted EPS of $3.38, above expectations, while revenue of $7.10 billion was slightly below consensus. Management acknowledged inconsistent value-menu execution and excessive operational complexity, making successful implementation of the turnaround strategy critical. Five Insightful Analyst Questions From McDonald’s Q2 Earnings Call
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s is reportedly losing ground to Burger King and other low-cost alternatives, including gas-station food, as customers seek cheaper meals. Slowing second-quarter sales growth raises concerns about U.S. traffic and market share. The burger wars are heating up as McDonald’s loses ground
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group lowered its fiscal 2027 EPS forecast, adding to investor concerns about earnings growth. McDonald’s FY2027 EPS Forecast Lowered
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that McDonald’s maintained a 515-page customer dossier could create privacy and reputational risks, though the immediate financial effect is unclear. McDonald’s customer dossier report

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other McDonald’s news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total value of $769,108.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,744,760.48. This represents a 30.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total value of $1,493,248.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 7,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. This represents a 40.44% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 8,348 shares of company stock worth $2,355,634. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MCD. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $322.00 to $319.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Piper Sandler set a $286.00 price objective on McDonald’s in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on McDonald’s from $380.00 to $350.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $325.44.

McDonald’s Profile

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is a global quick-service restaurant company best known for its hamburgers, French fries and breakfast offerings. The company develops, operates and franchises a system of restaurants that sell a range of food and beverage items, including signature products such as the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets, McCafé coffee beverages and a variety of salads, desserts and seasonal menu items. McDonald’s serves customers through company-operated restaurants and franchised locations, and it supports sales via dine-in, drive-thru, digital ordering platforms and third-party delivery partnerships.

Founded in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald as a single San Bernardino, California restaurant, the business was transformed into a franchising model after Ray Kroc joined in the mid-1950s and led the brand’s national and international expansion.